#because Tony was still sulking over not being allowed to murder a guy

[legalandnotease]

To date, Bucky has, in fact, saved far more lives then he took. I was literally having to tell one of them just yesterday about everything he has done since Civil War. Actually, even in Civil War. The Illustrated Guide says Bucky wanted to stop Zemo and the other Winter Soldiers. He viewed it as something like a personal redemptive quest.

They didn't seem aware of the existence of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. I mean I have objections to show, don't get be wrong, but it showcases how much good Bucky has done, and how he doesn't really need much of a push to be a great guy.

It seems their whole mindset is based on the notion that if they didn't see it (or have something that was shown explicitly spelled out to them on screen) they don't accept it. Like you said, Tony doesn't grow: the narrative just bends around him to portray him as "right" even when he isn't. Its very, very common with character's like him who are the writer's pet/Mary Sue.

So, if it means admitting Tony was wrong: well they simply won't do that. Tony fans will, instead, expect you to condone anything, and I mean anything, to avoid admitting Tony is wrong.

I except that they're sitting around hoping Bucky will go off the deep end to prove Tony was right about him. Or that he will die "without being redeemed"- not that they believe he can be redeemed. Nothing he does will ever be good enough for them.

It is wild, as they say, that after 9 years, holding that Tony was morally wrong to try to murder Bucky in Civil War is still a controversial position.

Are Tony fans really such a morality void that they have to condone murder and revenge-killing.

[timeisacephalopod]

Santoku

Prompt: Person A : wHYY IS ThERE BLOOD evERY WHERE!!? Person B : I may have aggressively poked someone with I knife Person A : yoU STAbbeD SOMEONE!!??!? Person B : no no , aggressively poked them with a knife. --> featuring Bucky/ Peter Quill/ Tony.

“Oh my god, why is there blood everywhere?” Bucky asks, looking around wide eyed at the surprising amount of blood all over the floor, the walls, and Tony.

“I uh... aggressively poked someone with this,” Tony says, holding up a knife.

Peter’s eyes bug out of his head, “you stabbed someone!” he all but yells.

Tony waves his knife around and shushes him. “No, aggressively poked. The fact that this is a knife is irrelevant,” he says. Bucky and Peter exchange a look because the fact that it was a knife was, in fact, important.

After a few beats of silence Peter sighs, “so uh, do we have to help you hide a body or what?” he asks. It’s Bucky’s turn for his eyes to bug out of his head because he couldn’t believe Peter was so cool with this. “What?” he asks, “you and Tony met me when I tried to rob you guys for everything of value and probably some stuff that wasn’t valuable at all but could still be sold to unwitting idiots for good money. What right do I have to judge?” he says.

“Stabbing leads to murder, Peter!” Bucky says.

“He’s not dead. I think,” Tony says, sparing a glance towards the direction of his bedroom.

“Honey if you took the knife out he’s probably dead,” Peter tells him gently.

Tony stares down at the knife like its just now occurring to him that knives kill people. “Tony, that’s how stabbing works,” Bucky reminds him.

Peter waves him off, “leave him alone, he’s in shock. Why did you get stabby? And why with that knife? That’s like the worst knife to use to stab people,” Peter says, frowning at Tony’s weapon of choice. To be fair an santoku knife was a pretty terrible weapon of choice.

*

Rhodey raises an eyebrow when Peter and Bucky fill him in on The Obadiah Thing(tm) and wait for Tony, who didn’t even realize he got stabbed back, to get stitches for a thankfully lesser wound. “You seriously asked if you had to hide a body?” Rhodey asks and Peter shrugs.

“I figure it was some solid payback for that time I broke in with the intention of stealing everything my little pansexual hands could carry,” he says and Bucky lets out a small, hysterical laugh. Peter reaches out and squeezes his thigh because apparently he reacted much better to violent crime than Bucky.

“I think that’s more than solid payback, man. I’m guessing Tony is okay,” he says, nodding towards Tony’s hospital room.

Bucky nods, “thankfully yes but uh... if you could deal with the media that’d be great. They maybe got a few pictures of Tony covered in blood and Obadiah near dead and do you really want me or Peter in front of a camera?” he rationalizes.

Rhodey, because he’s a good man, sighs. “Fine, but only because I love Tony and you two offered to hide the body already,” he says and stands up. He takes a deep breath before he walks off and Peter gives Bucky an annoyed look.

“I can’t believe you just got credit for me offering to hide the body,” he says and Bucky starts laughing.

“I would have helped,” he says. Unwillingly and mostly because his extreme social anxiety wouldn’t have let him do much else but it still totally counted.

*

“We,” Bucky says, “brought you food that won’t make you want to stab yourself.” He winces hard when he realizes he just actually said that to a stab victim but Peter starts laughing and Tony tries before his stab wound did... stab wound things. 

“Please bring me the food before Strange comes back. First, that guy is a raging prick, and second, he’s a raging prick who has a vendetta against good food. There’s a burger in there, right?” Tony asks, leaning forward as far as his wound would allow him, examining the bag closely.

“Yes, there is a burger for you,” Bucky tells him, shaking his head. Peter ignores them both and leaps into Tony’s bed- literally- and wrinkles his nose immediately.

“I thought being rich would buy you a better bed,” he says.

“I thought being a stab victim would buy me some damn peace but here you are jostling my wounds,” Tony tells him, giving Peter a dirty look.

“Hey, I bought the food,” Peter says in his own defense.

“With Tony’s card,” Bucky says, frowning.

“Still counts, Barnes. Now scoot over, we pawned the media off on Rhodey and I want some fries with my favorite with my favorite aggressively poked victim,” Peter says, grinning at Tony. Tony exchanges an annoyed look with Bucky but they both sigh, knowing that there was nothing they could do about Peter’s asshole personality. It was half the reason they loved him anyways.

“Bucky, please pass me the burger before I aggressively poke Peter with the nearest pointy object,” Tony says, extending a hand towards Bucky and waving it around.

He smiles and brings the bag of food closer, handing Tony his burger and flitting away from the bed before Peter can do anything. “And none for you,” he says, grinning as Peter flops against the mattress, giving up because he didn’t want to get up.

“I hope you know I hate you,” Peter tells him.

“And I hope you know I love you both, but not more than this burger or my new kitten,” Tony tells them.

Bucky and Peter exchange a look before turning to Tony. “What kitten?” they asks in sync, earning an offended look from Tony.

“Has no one fed the kitten?” he asks.

Peter lets out a loud groan, “I’ll go find the stupid kitten and feed it,” he mumbles, getting up and walking off to nobly sacrifice himself for the cause of keeping Tony happy for the time being.

Bucky grins at Tony, “I still have his fries,” he says, snickering just as Peter walks back into the room.

“I want my fries, Barnes,” Peter says, waving a hand around at him. Bucky sulks and goes over to hand Peter his fries, earning what he guessed qualified as a laugh from Tony, who’s attempt at laughing with a stab wound was pitiful. “Also,” Peter says, drawing their attention back to him, “this kitten better be the cutest ball of fluff ever, we all know how much I hate doing good people things like feeding small animals and whatever. And Rocket doesn’t count,” he says. The small asshole raccoon he found absolutely counted because no one else would risk the thing tearing off their fingers but they leave it be as Peter goes off to feed Tony’s kitten that no one knew he had.

[megaphonemonday]

#keepherinthegame drabble - we are an ocean

In honor of @pitchstreetteam‘s March #KeepHerIntheGame campaign and this post, here’s a little Pitch oneshot for the prompt Author’s Choice.

There’s still one (1!!) day left to send in your baseballs! You can even send them straight to Fox from Amazon! For more details, check here!

“C’mon, rookie,” came Mike’s voice through the flimsy curtain that was the only barrier between Ginny’s privacy and 24 men in various states of undress. She didn’t need to check the gap between the fabric, knew she’d pulled it closed, but did anyway at the interruption. Not that she thought Lawson would actually try to peek. It was just reflex. “We’re going out.”

“Out?”

Ginny stood from the little stool that had been afforded her in the Marlins guest clubhouse and twitched the curtains aside. There, standing with his back to her nook, was Mike Lawson, dressed in his ever-present leather jacket, though it had to be pushing 90 outside.

At the rustle of fabric, he turned, casting a cursory glance over her.

“Hey, I’ll have you know that Mr. Padre introduced me to this place himself, and now I take all the rookies there on their first road trip to Miami.”

“All the rookies?”

Mike frowned, chomping on his gum. “Well, it’s supposed to be if boy wonder ever gets out of the showers,” he griped.

Ginny grinned. He squinted back, but she was sure there was a smile hiding under that beard.

“If you’re looking for someone to get him out of there, you’re asking the wrong teammate.” Mike rolled his eyes, but Ginny continued, “You try flushing the toilets? That always worked on my brother.”

That earned a laugh, Mike’s eyes crinkling shut. “You must’ve been a nightmare to live with, Baker.”

“I was a perfect delight,” she countered, grabbing her backpack and stepping out of her curtained niche.

“Sure you were,” Mike allowed, bumping her shoulder companionably.

Ginny was about to protest when Livan appeared, swathed in a towel and steam. He caught her looking and sent her a wink, smirking as she rolled her eyes, but didn’t look away. What? Evelyn would kill her if she found out Ginny’d missed a prime ogling target.

At her side, Mike just grumbled and picked up the pace, an arm steering her forward when she tried to linger.

“Move it, Livan,” he tossed over his shoulder. “We’re leaving in ten with or without you.”  

Livan appeared with a minute to spare, smirking at the glower on his captain’s face.

“We going or not, Lawson?” he asked, breezing straight on by.

Thankfully, it wouldn’t be just Mike and the rookies. Apparently, plenty of other Padres remembered their first visit to Miami fondly enough to tag along.  

Which was definitely a good thing. If it had just been her, Mike, and Livan, Ginny couldn’t begin to imagine what an awkward night it would be. She had very little interest in coming in between their weird, alpha male pissing contest. Especially since they both sulked every time she told them to grow up.

The buffer would be good.

Ginny nudged Blip as everyone piled into the cars waiting to whisk them off to Miami team bonding time. Ginny knew she’d get stuck in the middle somewhere and was glad she’d opted for shorts to deal with the Florida heat. Bad enough that she had to put up with the body heat of two bulky ballplayers, Ginny didn’t want to think about having to deal with the sweaty cling of her usual work out leggings.

“Do I need to be worried about what’s gonna happen?” She asked, wrinkling her nose as her thighs stuck to the leather seats.

The center fielder grinned, and opened his mouth to reply, but Mike cut in from her other side.

“No hints, Sanders! It’s gotta be a surprise.”

Was this some sort of delayed hazing ritual? Had Livan annoyed the rest of the team that now she was going to get caught in the crossfire in the name of rookie initiation? Possibilities started swirling through Ginny’s head. They built and built, blowing way out of proportion to the information she had. Not that Ginny’s brain seemed to care. Not when it had the opportunity to send her spiralling.

“You’re not filling me with confidence, here, Lawson,” she replied, trying to keep her tone light.

Mike must have heard the subtext, though, because he leaned slightly into her. His bulky, leather-covered arm shouldn’t have been comforting, but Ginny found the contact reassuring. She took a deep breath and tried to let go of the tangle of thoughts that’d invaded her brain.

By the time they pulled up to their destination, Ginny’d mostly gotten a handle on herself. She still felt a little jittery and the nondescript brick building without even a sign signaling its purpose was not helping matters.

Still, she could hear the whooping and laughter of her teammates as they piled out of the cars ahead and behind hers. Butch had his arm wrapped around Livan’s shoulders, herding the younger man inside with a friendly grin. No one was trading mischievous looks, or seemed like they were planning anything too ridiculous. Maybe this was just a team tradition.

Ginny clambered out of the backseat and allowed Blip and Mike to herd her inside.

Once her eyes adjusted to the dim lighting, Ginny blinked, sure she was seeing things.

It was just a bar. A bar with a setup for a live band and a dance floor, but still just a bar.

Sending her captain an incredulous look, “This is it?”

“It?” he protested. “You don’t know what you’re talking about, rookie. Every great Padre since Tony Gwynn himself has eaten here their first night in Miami.”

“Well, what was with all the secrecy for, old man?” she demanded, trying to ignore the way her face was heating even with the bar’s air conditioning on full blast.

Mike shrugged, heading to an empty table, forcing Ginny and Blip to trail along behind.

Blip answered when it became clear Mike wouldn’t. “It’s just tradition,” he explained, settling in next to Lawson. “Let the rookies work themselves into a knot as they worry we’re gonna do something like make ‘em skinny dip and steal their clothes.”

“I would’ve murdered you,” Ginny replied, automatic, sinking into her own seat. “Wait is that what you thought was gonna happen?”

He immediately busied himself flagging down a server. On the other side of the table, Mike grinned and leaned in conspiratorially. Ginny couldn’t help but lean in, too.

“He made me promise that whatever happened, no one could tell Evelyn.”

“Tell Evelyn what?” she laughed, nose wrinkling.

“That he’s terrified of the ocean.”

“Are you serious?”

“There are sharks in the ocean, Ginny! And lord knows what else! People are out of their goddamn minds if they think it’s acceptable to swim in the ocean.”

“You live like two miles from the beach.”

Blip shifted grumpily. “The wife wants what she wants.”

Salvamini, who’d been walking by with a tray of beers laughed and made a whiplash sound out of the corner of his mouth.

“Yeah, Gio?” Blip shot back, a mock glare taking over his face. “Who was it who was just complaining about making three separate midnight grocery runs to keep up with his pregnant wife’s cravings?”

“He’s got you there, dude,” Dusty crowed, clapping Salvi on the back and nearly upsetting the tray of drinks.

After that, it seemed like everyone had something to say, and soon, Ginny relaxed into the friendly bickering of her teammates.

Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to just go with the flow, stop worrying so much.

Which was how Ginny found herself standing in the rolling waves of the ocean, her grown teammates shrieking and splashing each other in the surf.

During a lull in the evening, after the band played and everyone danced and Livan nearly cried at the familiar ropa vieja, they’d all started talking. Shooting the shit. For some reason or other, Ginny’d let slip that she hadn’t had a chance to visit the beach back in San Diego, hadn’t ever been to the beach, actually.

A hush fell over the normally rowdy Padres. Mike and Blip shared a wordless look that somehow contained an entire conversation, simultaneously pushed their chairs back, and stood, throwing money down on the table.

Ginny just stared up at them, and then the rest of the guys who were following suit. “Uh, you guys got somewhere to be?”

“Catch up, Baker,” Mike drawled, a grin lighting up his face. “We’re taking your ass to the beach.”

And they did. 

Ginny’s sneakers and phone were abandoned somewhere near the parking lot and she was covered in goosebumps, but she didn’t want to move. She just tipped her head back and breathed in the salt spray as the ocean rolled against her legs.

Mike had just waded off dunk Livan, but only after he’d picked her up and spun her around, threatening to toss her in. She couldn’t protest, just clung to his neck and shrieked with laughter and dizziness. He finally set her back on her feet, though, and went off in search of another victim. 

Ginny could still feel the warmth of his hand where he’d cupped her elbow to make sure she was steady before he left. Somehow, she knew it would take more than a few deep breaths to find her bearings again. 

A voice cut through her giddy daze. 

“You’re all gonna get eaten by sharks!” Blip called from beyond the safety of the high tide mark. “And I’m gonna let everyone know that I told y’all!”

Ginny turned, laughing, and slogged her way up to where he sat in the cool sand. She was still chuckling when she plopped down beside him. It felt good, laughing at her teammates being silly and not because it was the only thing that would keep her sane.

Laying back against the sand and knowing it would be hell to get out of her hair, she squinted up at the sky. There weren’t any stars. At least not that she could see. The lights of Miami drowned them out.

“I’m glad I came out tonight,” she announced into the night.

Blip replied with a snort, “Like Lawson would’ve let you weasel your way out of this.”

She hummed her acknowledgement, but chewed on her lip in thought. Blip waited patiently, the hollering of their teammates mere background noise.

“Just, sometimes when I come out with you guys, I feel like I’m tagging along. Like I’m someone’s little sister that you all put up with because it’s easier than telling me to go away. And then sometimes, it’s like I’m eating up all the attention just because of who I am.” She paused, considering the light, floaty feeling buoying through her chest. “But I didn’t feel like that tonight, so I’m glad I came.”

With a heavy sigh, Blip stretched out beside her, a warm presence on the cooling beach. “I know this doesn’t really help anything, but you gotta stop worrying so much, Ginny,” he told her, knocking his knee against hers companionably. “You’re one of us, now. A Padre.”

She knew that. She did. After the way the guys stepped up for her in San Francisco, literally baring all, it had been hard to deny. Still, while she knew some of them did it for her, for the team, Ginny’d resigned herself to the fact that at least a few of them had done it just for the chance to be in the Body Issue.

She’d learned not to let that kind of shit bother her.

But tonight was different. There weren’t any snarky comments, not even when Ginny clearly exhibited her two left feet when Livan pulled her into a complex salsa on the dance floor. Sure, they teased and joked, but it didn’t have the same current of hostility that she’d gotten so used to in the minors.

“Yeah,” she replied, wriggling her toes in the sand and smiling at her friend. “I guess I am.”

[bleedingedgearmor]

STARK VS. MAXIMOFF

Tony Stark and Wanda Maximoff have in common many life-changing events, most notably the creation of Ultron. However, they react to these occurrences in completely different ways. Here’s a quick analysis of their actions and reactions after the events they have in common :

 1)      Getting hit by a Stark Industries mortar shell:

TONY: Has his chest filled with shrapnel. Is tortured by terrorists by means of invasive surgery without anesthesia, followed by waterboarding. Sulks for five minutes. Talks for another five minutes to Yinsen and that’s all he needs to convince himself to fight back. Rises from the ashes. Becomes Iron Man. IMMEDIATELY shuts down weapon manufacturing upon his return home. Ultimately kills Obadiah Stane, who was probably the one who sold the bomb that killed Wanda’s parents to the people who fired it.

WANDA: Loses her parents. Becomes homeless. Becomes a rage-fueled rebel. Vows revenge on the man who owns the factory that built the shell that destroyed her house, but not on the people who fired said shell. Joins HYDRA, a secret Nazi death cult. Lets HYDRA experiment on her to be able to fight Iron Man. Is finally presented with the chance to kill Tony but instead messes with his mind, making him create Ultron. Joins Ultron when HYDRA is defeated.

 2)      Parents death:

TONY: Thinks it was an accident. Mourns only his mother, because his father was always a dick to him. Tries to cope, but fails. Becomes a party guy and ginormous asshole as a defense mechanism… until Afghanistan happens. Always tries to make his father proud despite their strained relationship. Meets the man Howard would never shut up about during his childhood, who immediately dislikes him. Is willing to put their differences aside for the greater good on more than one occasion. Finds out in the worst way possible his parents’ death wasn’t an accident. Understandably loses his shit. Tries to avenge them by killing ONE MAN, who… well, is clearly their assassin, despite Rogers yelling “It wasn’t him, Tony!” (It was, brainwashed or not. There’s video proof of that). Also finds out that Cap knew the truth and never told him. Is beaten to a pulp by a supersoldier. Receives a letter from said supersoldier which deserves a place in the Guinness World record as the worst apology ever conceived in the history of mankind. Is still willing to help his former “friend” by subtly telling Ross to fuck off.

WANDA: Is scarred for life by the event (fine, I would be too, but wait before you judge). Grows to hate Tony Stark. Vows revenge (see above). Plans her revenge on the wrong man for something like fifteen years. Grows to hate the other Avengers by association. Decides she not only wants Tony Stark dead, but also all the people he holds dear. Forces Tony to create Ultron instead of killing him. Joins Ultron, whose crimes and other horrible actions she is totally FINE WITH as long as she gets to see the Avengers burn. Understands the errors of her ways upon finding out Ultron’s plan involves Armageddon (big shocker, even Loki or Red Skull would have jumped ship at that point). Decides to join Captain America, but not before warning him that Stark is the real bad guy in all of this… despite her actions being the primary cause for the whole mess.

 3)      Creating Ultron:

TONY: Loses JARVIS, the most constant presence in his life for God knows how many years. Sulks. Nearly has a hysteric attack. Takes the blame from everybody (Thor even gets physical) despite only being a tool in Wanda’s hands. Tries to reason with them and justify his actions. Doesn’t tell anyone of the Scarlet Witch-induced hallucination that was his main motive. Doesn’t EVER blame Wanda, not even once. Goes to work to try and fight off Ultron. Sulks with Fury. Keeps trying to fix a mess that is only partly, and indirectly, his. Finds out JARVIS is still alive. Is willing to sacrifice JARVIS to create Vision in order to eliminate Ultron once and for all. Creates Vision. Is willing to sacrifice himself to stop the meteor city in Sokovia. Feels responsible for all the destruction Ultron caused. Retires from the Avengers, with Captain America being the ONLY ONE to wave him goodbye. Takes the blame for the death of Charles Spencer without uttering a single word. Signs the Accords because he wants to be held accountable.

WANDA: Is, without question or shadow of doubt, the real responsible for Ultron’s existence. Is never blamed by anyone. Immediately joins Ultron because he sees him as the instrument of Tony’s demise. Fights with him in Africa. Storms the U-GIN facility in Seoul with him. Finds out his true intentions. Runs away instead of fighting him. Takes her sweet time before joining Captain America into fighting Ultron (and in the meantime Black Widow is kidnapped). Still thinks Tony is the only one responsible. Tries to stop Tony from building the only thing that can stop Ultron, and that also happens to be her future boyfriend. Joins the Avengers only because otherwise the world would end. Half assedly fights Ultron. Understands she’s at least partly guilty (Boy that took long enough) and crawls in a fetal position until Hawkeye talks her out of it. Is trusted with keeping Ultron away from the meteor’s core. Goes off to destroy Ultron Prime, abandoning the core and allowing another Ultron to activate it (Dammit Wanda, you had ONE JOB!). Formally joins the Avengers without anyone questioning, because “poor girl, she was angry and misguided and she just lost her brother”. Is conflicted when the Accords are presented to her despite wanting Tony to answer for his actions (actually his company’s actions, or more probably Stane’s actions). Ultimately goes for the “fuck accountability” line of thought. Keeps prancing around and basking in her supposed moral high ground despite having caused every major disaster in the Avengers’ lives since Project Insight.

 4)      Sokovia Accords:

TONY: Agrees to be held accountable for his mistakes. Immediately signs the Accords. Goes with Ross to Avengers facility to try and reason with the others. Confines Wanda to the facility but tries to make it as comfortable as possible for her, even leaving Vision to keep her company. Tries to be the mediator and the voice of reason. Bends over backwards trying to find a middle ground that Rogers would at least hear out. Convinces Ross to let him try to bring Team Cap in after Barnes goes haywire. Is double-crossed by Romanoff. Almost loses his best friend. Doesn’t frame Romanoff. Admits he was wrong to not listen to Steve as soon as he finds evidence of Barnes’ innocence in the Vienna bombing. Takes all the shit Barton, Lang and Wilson throw at him in stride, being considered the only responsible for their imprisonment in the Raft (Ever heard of something called “preventive detention”, guys? What did you expect, a suite at the Hilton?). Immediately goes against the Accords to try and help his “friend”. Ultimately gets his ass handed to him by said “friend” as a result. Moves on trying to fix Rhodey. Doesn’t frame Team Cap. Doesn’t try to get a rematch when given the chance. Basically tells Ross to go fuck himself.

WANDA: Is unsure she should renounce to her independence despite blowing up a building full of people not a month earlier. Reluctantly accepts being held in the facility… until Barton arrives. Talks with Barton for TEN SECONDS and immediately changes her mind. Wastes Vision. Escapes. Joins team Cap. Fights Team Iron Man no holds barred (“you were pulling your punches”). Gets imprisoned. Scowls at the security cams with a murder face as if they were in the wrong and she was in the right. Gets busted out by Rogers. Is granted asylum in Wakanda. Never pays for her part in the events of Leipzig. Or Lagos. Or Sokovia. Or Seoul. Or Johannesburg.

 5)      Blame:

TONY: Is blamed for even existing. Never fights back. Only tries to explain his motivations. Always does all he can to make up for his mistakes.

WANDA: Is never blamed. Never apologizes, EVER, to ANYONE, about ANYTHING. Only apologizes to Vision - after he apologizes first - and only because she has the hots for him. Never does anything to make things right.

 Draw your own conclusions.